Most people think that stress and anxiety are synonymous with college. Just mention college and people start to tense up. However, college doesn’t need to be that stressful. In fact, there are a number of things you can do to help not only reduce stress, but also prevent it. The key, or the secret, to reducing stress and anxiety is to get outside of yourself and compartmentalize. Once you can do that, there are a number of activities you can do to do make sure stress and anxiety don’t take over your life. Here are five ways to reduce stress and anxiety in college.
- Get Plenty of Exercise
Exercise is critical for the sake of cutting fat and regulating your metabolism, but it is also important for reducing stress and anxiety. When you get your blood pumping, you are releasing dopamine and serotonin, which are essential for mood regulation. Part of the reason why you are so stressed and anxious is because a hormone called cortisone is being released through your body. Exercise can combat this hormone and keep your spirits high.
- Leave Campus and Get Some Fresh Air
If you live near a hiking trail, or anywhere near nature, you may want to take an afternoon off and explore. When you do, make sure to turn off your phone. The key is to not have any distractions. When you go out into nature, you want to try and not think about school. Doing this will help you refresh and reset. If you don’t live near nature or a hiking trail, you may want to visit a park and take in the clean air.
- Purchase a Notebook and Get Creative
Another way to reduce stress and anxiety is to get creative. Studies have shown that getting creative is an essential way to reduce depression, and the symptoms of anxiety. Even if you are not an artist, you want to grab a notebook and doodle. Just the act of doodling will put your mind in a meditative state. In fact, just looking at art has been shown to reduce anxiety, so you may even want to visit a gallery or museum near you.
- Take a Trip
If you have the time and the money, you may want to take a trip somewhere. Even if you get in your car and drive, just changing your scenery from your dorm room to the open highway can help you reset. Even if you only go an hour away from your campus, you can still get the benefits from a short road trip.
- Get a Meditation Application for Your Phone
On top of everything, you may want to think about downloading a meditation app on your phone. These meditation apps can guide you on breathing and even some yoga positions. When you control your breathing and take deep inhalations and exhalations, you will notice your stress slowly melting away. In fact, there are even some college programs, like mediation training from ACU, that will teach this practice. In the end, many of these apps are free and easy to use, which is perfect for broke college students.
